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International Tourism Increases with Every Year in Florida

Florida’s tourism rate is on fire. In recent years, it has been especially high among international guests, which is expected to increase in 2015, according to Visit Florida.

The rate continues to grow with every passing year. In 2013, 93.7 million out-of-state and international visitors came to Florida, up 2.3 percent from 2012, the Sun Sentinel reported. Though visitation numbers are still being tallied, 2014 is expected to be the fourth consecutive record year for tourism.

“The [tourism] records that we’ve set over the last three to four years would not have happened had it not been for the really incredible growth in international visitation, incredible growth from our Canadian visitors … and huge growth from Latin America,” Visit Florida President Will Seccombe told the Sun Sentinel.

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The addition of several new overseas flights to Panama, Brazil, Mexico and Ecuador will help increase visitation while the opening of hotels in Broward, like Margaritaville Hollywood Beach Resort, Hyde Resort & Residences and the Conrad Fort Lauderdale, will provide for the growing need of lodging.

The state’s tourism projections show visitation is forecast to climb to 127 million tourists in 2020, according to the Sun Sentinel.

Florida’s partnership with National Geographic, its plan for a multilingual Florida Guide app and the constant coming and going of cruises at its three major ports are all factors that contribute to this upward trend. Not to mention the launching initiatives from the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau to capture more LGBT travelers now that same-sex marriage is legal in Florida.